Saturday09 November 2024
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Ghost forests are taking over the Earth: NASA satellites have captured their advance into deeper regions (photos).

Researchers have observed the movement of ghost trees from coastal areas deeper into the continent.
Леса-призраки охватывают планету: спутники NASA зафиксировали их распространение вглубь территории (фото)

The rise in sea levels, anthropogenic climate change, and other factors are causing coastal trees to die in their native habitats. Recently, due to the ongoing global warming, the situation has worsened, leading to the expansion of ghost forests that spread across the Earth's surface like mold, reports Gizmodo.

The advance of ghost forests is so rapid and extensive that NASA's Earth Observatory satellites have captured its spread inland in North Carolina from space. Haunting images show the slow expansion of the ghost forest along a stretch of coastline in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge.

This region is known for its bald cypress forests, but over the past two decades, some of these trees have become even balder than ever before. In simple terms, the trees have died, losing their bark, yet remain standing in place. This has led to them being dubbed ghost trees.

лес призрак каролина

Researchers indicate that ghost forests emerge when large groups of trees perish, often due to saltwater intrusion. This explains why most ghost forests are found along coastlines, where freshwater trees encounter an influx of saltwater that suffocates them.

Images of the ghost forest were captured by NASA's Landsat 5 and 9 satellites in 2005 and 2024, showing the forest's spread over nearly 20 years. Researchers found that between 1985 and 2019, about 11% of the land in the refuge has turned into ghost forests.

Леса-призраки в Северной Каролине в 2024 году

One of the primary factors, according to Duke University ecologist Emily Bernhardt, is the rising sea level. Data indicates that in the North Carolina area where the photos were taken, the sea level is rising at approximately 3-4 millimeters per year. While this may seem insignificant, it is three times faster than the global average.

Researchers note that satellite images also reveal how the impacts of climate change collide with human activity. For instance, wetlands can gradually shift their locations as the sea level rises; however, cypress forests have nowhere to go. The fact is that these forests are already squeezed by agricultural lands and other developments—simply put, they have no chance of survival.

леса призраки

However, there is no direct link between climate change and the ghost forest in the refuge. As noted in a NASA press release, a major die-off occurred in 2011 after a drought and Hurricane Irene, which allowed saltwater to penetrate inland.